Whether you’re in your twenties, thirties, or forties, male pattern baldness can rear its ugly head and cause a lot of stress and anxiety. Even men who aren’t very appearance-conscious may start to fret as their hair count dwindles.
You can blame it on your family (male pattern baldness tends to be hereditary) or you can blame it on your diet. This article will explain how heredity, hormones and diet can be contributing to your hair loss grief.
How Much Does Heredity Affect Male Pattern Baldness?
Although some folks, including women, are more prone to balding due to genetics, it’s important to realize that hormones like testosterone play an important role in determining when we start to lose hair and how much hair we lose.
When hormones are under control, baldness becomes much less of a problem, if any.
The Power of Testosterone
Without testosterone, male pattern baldness would be wiped out. In fact, in families where baldness is common, even the women risk developing male pattern baldness. But since they usually have just a small amount of testosterone in their systems, baldness is nowhere near as common in women as in men.
However, certain prescription drugs and some illnesses can cause the female body to produce higher levels of testosterone, increasing the risk of serious hair loss.
For women dealing with hair loss issues, the best solutions are either to alter the medication or deal with the condition that is causing the abnormal increase in testosterone.
Did You Know Testosterone Levels Change With The Seasons?
Strange as it may seem, the amount of testosterone in the body changes along with the seasons. During the spring, testosterone is at its lowest level. This is when the greatest amount of hair growth occurs.
The amount of testosterone in the blood stream steadily rises until it reaches its peak in autumn. That’s when the average guy will lose about twice as many hairs as in the springtime.
Turning Testosterone into DHT
Once testosterone reaches the hair follicles, it then transforms into a more potent hormone called dehydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT invades the hair follicles on the scalp, causing the hair to become thinner in texture. When these thinner hairs fall out, they are replaced by even smaller, finer hairs. As the process continues, the follicles are eventually destroyed and male pattern baldness sets in.
DHT is a very strange hormone. While it can cause hair loss on the scalp, it is also responsible for hair growth on the face and chest. However, this is little consolation to men suffering from male pattern baldness who would gladly give up their facial or body hair in exchange for more hair on their heads.
The Diet Connection
For most people, the typical North American diet is anything but healthy. Not only does it pile on the pounds, it can cause elevated testosterone levels in the blood. That’s why a lot of men without male pattern baldness in the family end up losing hair.
A high fat diet also reduces the amount of globulin in the blood. An certain amount of globulin is necessary to make sex hormones inactive until they are actually needed. Without this restraint, testosterone is left to run wild, eventually invading and destroying hair follicles.
Scientific research has suggested that the amount of animal fat consumed in our food is also related to male pattern baldness. A high intake of animal fat causes an increase of oil in the hair follicles. The end result is an overabundance of DHT in the follicles, which can lead to male pattern baldness.
So, as you can see, there is more than one reason to consider improving your diet!
Reclaim Your Hair with Propecia and a Low-Fat Diet
There are several foods beneficial to hair growth. By incorporating these foods into your meal plan, you can boost your chances of sprouting new hair and also lower your risk for serious illnesses including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Reducing the amount of animal fat in your diet is the first step. This will help to lower the amount of testosterone in the body. It is also important to eat a diet that contains an abundant supply of vitamins. While you can take dietary supplements, it is always better to actually consume the necessary vitamins through food if possible.
The following list contains a variety of healthy foods that will keep your testosterone level in balance while improving your overall health too.
- Asparagus, chick peas, lentils, kidney beans, black beans, broccoli, brussel sprouts, lima beans, and spinach are all great sources of folic acid.
- Cauliflower, eggs, and beans contain lots of Vitamin B.
- To get your daily dose of Vitamin E, try munching on some green leafy vegetables, cereal, or nuts.
- Sunflower seeds, walnuts, soybeans, peas, and brown rice all contain Biotin. Biotin, often referred to as Vitamin H, promotes healthy hair and is known to help prevent male pattern baldness.
While you don’t have to eliminate meat and dairy products from your diet, it is best to eat these foods in moderation. By reducing your consumption of both animal fat and processed foods, you can help to prevent male pattern baldness and possibly promote new hair growth too.
Control Hormones And Hair Loss With Propecia
One drug commonly used for male pattern baldness is Propecia. Propecia is the only oral hair loss drug that has the approval of the FDA and has been proven to help men increase or maintain their hair. The pills are taken once a day and most men see improvements within three to 12 months.
Taken on a daily basis, Propecia helps keep your hormones in check. By controlling the amount of testosterone and DHT in the body, Propecia can control hair loss in most men. Just remember to take your Propecia tablets every day, even after you start seeing an improvement in your hair.
A daily dose is necessary because once Propecia treatment is stopped, hair loss will often return to the same level as before. Men who stop taking Propecia will normally have a relapse within twelve months. (Propecia is for men only and should not be taken by women or children who suffer from hair loss.)
Why is Propecia Different from Other Hair Loss Prescriptions?
Reducing the amount of DHT in the body is the key to Propecia’s success. Propecia works by preventing DHT buildup on the scalp. When the amount of DHT is lowered, further damage to the hair follicles can be prevented.
Besides preventing hair loss, Propecia also helps create new hair growth in the vertex and middle scalp region. About ninety percent of Propecia patients experience an improvement in male pattern baldness, whether in the form of new hair growth or maintaining current hair or both.
To find out if Propecia is the answer to your male pattern baldness, visit our Propecia product information and ordering page or browse our Hair Loss Articles.
We specialize in providing our over 1,000,000 customers with relevant product and condition information created by our professional editorial staff which includes our team of medical writers, medical practitioners, and health educators. eDrugStore.com Staff on Facebook